Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight
by marchingninja
Summary: Sasuke's gone..Naruto's alone and has locked himself in his apartment for over a year. His kyubbi has come out, killing those who want to get him out of his prison. read please and comment! thanx enjoy!
1. Only after you left

Lock the door; you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door; you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 1

Only after you left

Naruto's earliest memories were of pain, torment, and suffering without any reasons or regrets. His mind was restless and foggy with reminiscing those hurtful times. But they were all over now … right? Wrong. After Sasuke left to join Orochimaru and his gang, Naruto fell apart. His attempt to keep Sasuke in Konnnaha WAS only an attempt. Naruto thought, if I cant keep one ninja in the village, who Naruto know was truly Benin one the inside, how could he keep several or more bad ninja, the Akastuke, out of Konnaha and protect the village. So Naruto became what the adult villagers who tormented him as a child wanted him to be, a monster.

"Kakashi, how long has it been?" Asked the 6th Hokage.

"I don't know, maybe-"

"1 year, 2 months and 7 days…" Sakura spoke out of nowhere, interrupting Kakashi's guess.

"Has anyone seen him?" Tsunade asked nervously for if nobody did, then this plan might take a turn for the worst. Naruto had licked himself in his apartment the day he arrived from the hospital after his and Sasuke's fight. He had not left to get food or any supplies that would last him for the 1 year, 2 months, and 1 week period.

"I-" Sakura choked out, "-the last time I saw him was the day after he locked himself in."

"Yes, and you were the last to see him correct?" Tsunade asked.

"Umm, yeah I believe so." Sakura added.

There was a sudden knock on the door that made Sakura suck in a cool quick breath. An assistant ninja of Tsunade's walked in, wet. Sakura was puzzled because only his vest and shirt were wet. That was until Hinata walked in right behind him, with red puffy eyes. She'd been crying.

"Hinata Huyga is here to speak to you." The ninja said, then walked out in a quick haste pulling at his wet shirt to try and dry it off.

"Hello Hinata. You informed me earlier that you had some information on Naruto. Please, share the topic is open to everyone in the room."

Hinata stood in her regular position, fingers tapping each other, but this time it looked like she was more determined to break that pose to get what needed to be said, said. She broke it with a step forward and pulled a dirty crumbled up piece of paper out of her pocket.

"Ummm-hmm.. this.. um-this was on Naruto-kun's door, the day he was released from the hospital. I was waiting for him by his apartment when I noticed it. I read it. and it was from Sasuke." Hinata finished, then sniffled. Kakashi closed his eyes until they were only slits, staring Hinata down to determine if she spoke the truth.

"So is that it?" Tsunade said then pointed to the dingy piece of paper.

"Oh-yes, Lady Tsunade, yes!" Hinata said stumbling forward and then handing it to her.

Tsunade opened the letter being careful not to rip it anymore than it had already been.

Naruto,

I'm sorry. It was either you or killing the person who stole my life from me, and caused so much damage to this village. It's my fault for screwing this up so bad that I have to kill my best friend. I'm sorry.

Sasuke Uchiha


	2. The Plans, past and present

Lock the door; you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door; you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 2

The Plans, past and present

Tsunade slowly placed the weathered letter down on her desk. Sakura saw the confusion in Tsunade's eyes and snatched the letter up with haste and read quickly. Her heart sank, you could tell by the way her posture slumped and her eyes closed to slits, trying to hold back tears. Now they understood why Hinata had been crying. She knew that Sasuke had a deep bond with Naruto that she might never have. And Sakura felt that same thing Kakashi grabbed the letter from Sakura's trembling fingers.

"So…." Tsunade cleared her throat. "We now know way Naruto locked himself up, his motive. If we get Sasuke back, Naruto might come out…nicely."

There had been past attempts to get Naruto out of his prison, but they all ended in failures. He stayed in, but that was not the worst part. Ninjas, Konnaha ninjas, were sent in to get him. None of them ever came back out. That's why they say he is now a monster.

"When will we try again?" Kakashi asked.

"Tonight." Tsunade said very assertively, to make sure they knew she was serious.

"Okay." Kakashi breathed out, obviously worried.

"Who," Hinata's squeaky voice spoke. " who will be trying this time?" Tsunade paused as she thought of who, or how to say it.

"You and Sakura need to go and round up Kiba and Neji." Tsunade said then turned her eyes to Kakashi.

"Kakashi, you will find Guy, get him to find out as much information and leads as to where Sasuke is. Exactly!"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Kakashi said quickly for he knew what to do and disappeared into smoke. Everything seemed to be going quicker now as Sakura and Hinata ran out of the room with determined looks on their faces.


	3. Silence

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 3

Silence

Naruto glared at he prison door. Its wooden frame had been bitten and scratched at. The door itself was stained in blood and had deep fractures in it that made it as useful as wet cardboard.

"Why." Naruto's hoarse voice spoke. "Why is such a flimsy piece of wood keeping me away from everything…. everything."

"Everything horrible, retched and poisonous? My darling boy, this is what is keeping you SAFE. It is a barrier against anyone who has ever hurt you. I don't want you in pain anymore." Kyubbi spoke with a sharp hissing tone in her voice. Naruto lay limp in an unending corner, his eyes glowing red. He turned his head slowly, to prevent form using up his energy. He looked into he mirror, like he was trying to see past what it truly reflected, the monster he had become.

Sakura and Hinata had gotten word that Neji and Kiba were sparing by the creek near the 6th training ground, so that was where they were headed.

"Do you think they'll help us Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked.

"Hm, I hope so. I'm sure they'll be willing to help out a good friend." Sakura said this as happy and hopeful as she could, but you could still see doubt in her eyes.

"NO!" Neji yelled as he pushed Hinata once more the wet ground.

"Why wont you help? I thought you liked Naruto! Why wont you put your life on the line to help someone who would do the same and more for you?!" Sakura was furious. When they had gotten to the training ground Neji and Kiba had just stopped their training and were looking very worn out. But once Hinata asked for them to assist in finding Sasuke and bringing him back, it seemed like hell had broken loose in Neji, setting fire to his fighting spirit once again for another round.

Kiba was helping Hinata back up, when Neji turned his pale eyes on him.

"Do you want to help them?" Neji snapped.

" Well of course! Naruto has been locked up in there for long enough. This village needs him back." Kiba said with his strong tone of voice.

"I will help Naruto, in any situation but this." Neji said.

"Why is this situation too hard for you to handle?" Hinata spoke.

"No, You are right, Naruto is my friend. But Uchiha is not."

"Sasuke is the key to this plan though." Sakura said. "Without him it won't work."

"And with him, it will not work for me." Neji said as if wanting it to be the last concluding sentence of the conversation. Too bad for him Hinata was not done.

"Naruto-kun needs your help! And you will not help him because of this past feud? What is worth more, Naruto's life or your damn pride?" Hinata's words hung heavily in the air for minutes. Breathing became silenced, even pulses seemed to waver. The silence grew thicker and thicker, weight to speak became heavy. No one would speak. They just wanted to hear the answer that would decide Naruto's fate, the fate of the village, and the fate of sound itself.


	4. The gathering, and the dispersal

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 4

The gathering, and the dispersal

Sakura looked up, staring into the gray empty skies that loomed over all of Konnaha. She could see the dangerous ominous clouds that were producing rainstorms filled with lighting and thunder beyond the mountains. It sounded like a war was going on. The constant clashing of kunai and ninja rang through the town, making the faces of the past Hokages cry. The rain stretched over the trees to the faces making the tears start flowing down from their eyes. Sakura wondered how much time Naruto spent letting rain roll down his face.

"Will he be here soon?" Neji asked.

"Yes, Kakashi said that he and Guy had found information on Sasuke." Sakura said. Neji had agreed to come on a few conditions, 1) If Sasuke tried to hurt anyone, he would hurt Sasuke, 2) He could treat Sasuke like the scumbag he is, and 3) Sasuke was to help Naruto then leave Konnaha immediately. These terms, but the last, were reasonable. Sure, Sakura didn't agree but they needed Neji.

"Hello, everyone." Kakashi said, appearing of course out of nowhere.

"Well its about time Sensei! And don't you pull that 'black cat crossing your path' crap on us! We know you were just reading your pervy book!" Sakura said, with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Now, now my books are not "pervy", they teach the ways of life. The ways of-of"

"A slut?" Sakura added to finish his statement.

"Now how about we drop this subject. We are all very highly skilled ninja who should not read into such poisonous topics." Sakura just rolled her eyes as the others sighed.

"So shall we begin? I sent Guy up ahead to start a trail fro us to follow." Kakashi informed the others.

"He should be about 5 miles out. Remember," Kakashi paused to make sure everyone was listening. "We are never alone. This mission is not a secret. We have been looking for Sasuke for a long time, which has stirred up some suspicions in other villages, expectably the Sound." Kakashi ended.

"Does that mean there are Sound ninjas waiting for us?" Hinata asked.

" Yes, Sasuke is closer than we thought though. Neji you will scout ahead of us no more than a ¼ of a mile. Any signs of trouble just wait, we wont be far behind."

"Yes, Sensei." Neji said then jumped as fast as he could to start his lead into the forest.

"His eyes will help us greatly. Hinata and Kiba you will go now and start a lead ahead of Sakura and I." Kakashi said. Hinata and Kiba began their way to the forest.

"Sakura, you ready?" Kakashi asked. Sakura had not heard him. She was staring at Hinata. Looking at the single strand of blonde hair float off her purple coat


	5. The Cool Snake Appears

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 5

The Cool Snake Appears

Sasuke sat, propped up by the snake chair in his room. His thin white ankles crossed over the arm and his head resting on the cushioned back. He looked over at the clock that sat on the dark wooden armoire.

"It's only 7:00 am." His cool voice spoke. " Sakura-chan will be here in only a few hours. Maybe…. I should greet her to the best of my abilities. Figuring she's going to kill me anyway, I guess I shouldn't try." Sasuke knew that Sakura was coming along with Kakashi and Kiba. But he couldn't recognize the Hyuga's as what their physics were.

"I wonder why they came back."

Sakura was right by Kakashi's side once they left Konnaha on the most important mission she knows her should will ever accept. Nothing suspicious had happened yet, making everything suspicious.

Sakura's left eye caught a glance of something moving in the tree that she had just pasted moments ago. She stopped and spun around on the toes of her right foot. Her hand went to her kunai pouch and pulled out a shiriken. Then dove into the tree that was about 11 feet away and disappeared from Kakashi's sight.

"Sakura? What is it?" Kakashi whispered, to make sure nobody else heard him. But there was no answer.

"Sakura?" Kakashi said again and then stepped forward. But just as he stepped forward Sakura came bursting out of the treetop.

"KAKASHI SENSIE!! Don't go in there! Neji….N-Neji he's…." Sakura was sweating and was as pale as a ghost.

"What is it Sakura? What's wrong with Neji?" Just as Kakashi asked that Neji came shooting out of the treetop and landed right behind Kakashi. Neji grabbed Kakashi's left arm and twisted it behind his back, preventing him from reaching into his kunai pouch.

"Neji what are you doing?" Kakashi asked very alarmed. "Neji, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing Sensei…." Neji leaned forward so his lips were only centimeters away from Kakashi's ear. His hot breathe leaking on to his earlobe. "…Except I'm not Neji." Kakashi was now trying to figure out who he was! Just as Kakashi was thinking Neji released his arm just enough to spin him around and stab him in the gut. Kakashi yelled in pain as the kunai split the vest and then his skin, making blood rush down his body and leak out onto the branch.

Sakura just stood there horrified. If this wasn't Neji then who was it? She looked at the blood that was spilling down the vest and onto the green moss covered branch that was perched high above the ground. The red drops kept falling hitting other branches, claiming more land for its red coloring, and soon hitting the point where Sakura's eyes could no longer track it. The black pit below her feet looked like it was never ending, even though she knew it lead to the forest ground…. Where she trained with Naruto and Kakashi and …… Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes…. his eyes were in that blackness…. staring right at her. Getting closer to her. The black pupils getting bigger and bigger.


	6. To the Snake's Lair

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 6

To the Snake's Lair

Thump…. thump-thump…thump…. Sakura heard this pattern of heart beat in her ears, and wind blowing through her hair. '..hmm…where am I? I'm…. moving…how?' Sakura thought. Then she squinted her eyes open to see a tall, muscular, black haired raven carrying her. Sasuke had her in his arms, going a million miles an hour, away from where Neji had Kakashi's life in his hands…

"Sasuke…. Sasuke! Kakashi's back there! Where are you going? Shouldn't you go back and help him?!" Sakura was yelling at Sasuke as he carried her away.

"No, Kakashi can handle himself. That's obviously not the real Neji." Sasuke said in a calm voice.

"Well yes I know that, but who is it then?" Sakura asked.

"That would be Sai" Sasuke said.

"What?! But he was on our side after you left. Why would he go against us now?!" Sakura said in a furious voice. She really didn't understand why he had gone bad.

"He only became a Konnaha ninja because he was banned from the Akastuki. I guess he wants back in now… I understand." Sasuke said.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"You can only spend so long with that dobe." Sasuke said, half laughing.

"You left….because of Naruto?" Sakura said.

"No…. well." Sasuke stopped his sentence and put Sakura down a branch. "I'm not going to discuss him 'outside'. You never know who is listening besides us, but I'll take you back to the Sound village that I'm living in. But till then, you'll have to be quiet." Sasuke said, sort of in a commanding voice. Not giving Sakura a chose, much less a voice to do anything with.


	7. The Explanation of Naruto's tears

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight.

Chapter 7

The explanation of Dobe's tears

The Sound village was covered in thick, white, mist. The only sign that there was a village was the tops of the tallest buildings were sticking up through the white clouds.

Sakura stared at it; it looked so different from Konnaha. Why would Sasuke live in such a gloomy hidden place? Was he hiding from Konnaha or the memories of his mistakes?

Sakura was afraid to ask.

"Okay come on, my house is at the edge of the village, so we don't have to go through it and risk being seen." Sasuke said. He dragged Sakura down the hill and around the front gate. 'It looks like Konnaha's front gate… I guess there is something like Konnaha here.' Sakura thought.

Sasuke had guided Sakura through buildings low hanging clothes lines and broken fences, when finally he made a sharp right and pushed Sakura through some thick blankets that were apparently covering a side door. She coughed when she got to the other side, as the blankets were extremely dirty and since Sasuke didn't inform her not to breath in. To bad for her.

"Cough, this is, cough, it?" Sakura choked out.

"Not exactly, we need to get further below." Sasuke whispered, which confused Sakura because she thought this was his home, why was he whispering?

"Okay, I'll just follow you." Sakura said, as she looked around. Sasuke's little home wasn't anything special. Especially when you compare it to the Uchiha estate that he left behind. This was a bit dark so Sakura couldn't see where she was going, or where she had been. She kept swinging her arms back in forth so that she'd caught a feel of Sasuke's kimono, she didn't want to get lost. He lead her into the office area, she guessed because of the large quantity of books that were lying around with some random used and ripped up papers. 'I guess Sasuke has gotten pretty bored, I've never seen him as the reading type..' Sakura thought still looking around, until she ran into Sasuke who was on the floor pushing away a number of books and throwing papers across the room trying to uncover something. She saw that he was uncovering a fake floor tile, which had a ladder leading down into an even darker pit. She wondered where it lead, but in the same sense didn't really want to know. But as Sasuke put each foot below the other on that ladder she knew she was going to follow him. She felt like if she didn't, she would lose him again…. and that would be the last time she saw him. So she followed him, one foot after the other, going down into a black hole that could have anything in the end, but could also hold nothing.

Sakura reached the bottom in hesitation, she didn't know if it really was the end of it or if it was just an illusion. As she walked a few steps closer to Sasuke though she could tell that it was all real. Sasuke walked over to tall black door, he opened it slowly letting it creak and whine as the hinges swung it around. Sasuke walked in and let the door creak back to its original resting place. Sakura ran and caught it by the doorknob. She pulled it open and could feel cold air penetrate the air around her and go through her hair, brushing it off her shoulders. She took a small quivering step forward, afraid to enter a place that the 'new' Sasuke resided… the one that nobody new and haven't seen for 1 year, 2 months and 7 days, and had broken Naruto's heart so bad that he seemed to lack a heart at all. Sasuke had found his way to a huge chair, throne, that had its back shaped like a snake. He put his feet up on the arm and crossed his pale skinny ankles over each other. He propped his head up on the snakes nose and looked at Sakura with his cool charcoal eyes.

"This is it Sakura, now why did you come here?" Sasuke said in light tone. Sakura was confused. Didn't he bring her here?

"Well, we were on a mission to bring you back to Konnaha." Sakura said.

"Why? I thought Tsunade had banished me?" Sasuke said, him now looking like the confused one.

"We need you back.." Sakura said.

"Oh, so its need now! Wow, this is why I left, all you Leaf Ninja's are too confusing." Sasuke said. He had a smirk on his face, that made Sakura know she was just entertaining him now. She wasn't here for amusement, she was here for Naruto. It's time to make her mission clear.

"Sasuke, I'm here for Naruto." Sakura said. Sasuke imminently dropped his ankles from the arm and stood up slowly, keeping his head dropped, his long black bangs covering his face. He looked up slowly, revealing angry black eyes.

"What's wrong with Naruto?" Sasuke said.

Omg, yes it's a lot longer, I think, so please review! O, and thanx for reading and stuff.


	8. The Explanation of Naruto's tears part 2

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Lock the door, you'll be safe tonight

Chapter 8

The explanation of Dobe's Tears Part 2

"What is wrong with Naruto?" Sasuke repeated.

"He's…he's not right anymore.." Sakura said almost in a whisper. "He's been locked up in his apartment for over a year. Ever since you left." Sakura said, then pausing to look down at her sandals, examining them with great interest. "And….its all your fault." She said, now sounding like she was finished.

"What?" Sasuke said as if Sakura had pinned all the worlds problems on him. "What did I do? I left, without blaming him or anybody else, that's why I left." Sasuke said in a calm tone.

"But…." Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out the wrinkled piece of paper, she handed it so Sasuke. "…this is yours, you put it on Naruto's door the night you left. We have a witness who saw you put it there." Sakura said, with determination to get Sasuke to confess.

"Who is the witness?" Sasuke said, in a different tone. Sakura noticed a small smirk and quark in his face and eyes.

"Hinata Hyuga." Sakura said, but once she did Sasuke started laughing. As if to say, 'I know something you don't'. Which, unfortunately, he did.

"What are you smirking about Sasuke?" Sakura asked in a curious voice.

"You don't know? I thought you were smart Sakura-chan." Sasuke said, humored by her ignorance.

"Neji was not Neji, and you still think that Hinata is the real Hinata?" Sasuke said.

"That's right…Neji tried to kill Kakashi. B-but then where are the real Hyugas?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura-chan,.." Sasuke said as he was lifting himself out of his throne. He walked over to Sakura, and buried his lips in her hair. She could feel his warm breath flood over her ear. "…if I knew that, this never would have happened." Sasuke whispered.

"We…we have to get back t-then." Sakura was having a hard time breathing, much less speaking. She'd always wanted to feel Sasuke's warm breath on her.

"Fine…we'll go back." Sasuke said.

"Are you disappointed?" Sakura turned around when Sasuke asked this.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked confused.

"Your tone, I can hear some sadness in it. Your either disappointed that I want to go back to Naruto, or that you messed up." Sasuke said. "You put on quite a show, you fake…" Sasuke was on a roll and he wasn't going to stop. "Your not the real Sakura either are you?" Sasuke's voice said in a confident tone. Sakura let out a soft breath and stepped around Sasuke. She was walking a little bit weird, wobbling around looking like she was about to collapse. She reached Sasuke's thorn and threw her shaking body onto the cold surface.

"Dear…dear Sasuke. Why would you think that I was not myself? What will you do if you are wrong?" Sakura said, in a rather seductive voice. Sasuke was a bit shocked, he wasn't sure. He was just bored of talking to Sakura and wanted to get her shook up. But he could tell he did more than that, something had changed, but this was still Sakura, he could tell that the Hyugas were not themselves but now he couldn't tell. Was she the real Sakura, or is she another imposter?

"Sasuke, this isn't that hard of a decision. You were so sure a few seconds ago. What will you do if you are wrong? I'll tell you what I'll do if you are RIGHT." Sakura said, making herself more comfortable in his chair. "If you are right… then I will leave you and Naruto alone, to be together. Isn't that fair, so you should have a just as fair punishment if you get it wrong. Any ideas Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said, keeping her seductive voice. "Any ideas?" Sasuke had an idea… but he wasn't going to say anything until he knew that he was right. He didn't want to risk his Naruto.


End file.
